No. A Teams Phone license does not include a phone number on its own, because Microsoft treats the license and the number as two separate purchases.[1][3] The license entitles a user to the Microsoft 365 Phone System features and its private branch exchange (PBX) capabilities, plus access to whatever phone-network connection your organization has set up, while the numbers themselves come from a separate PSTN solution.[1][4] Microsoft states plainly that telephone numbers are not included with Teams Phone licensing and are acquired through the service provider that supplies your connection to the public switched telephone network (PSTN).[3] You add that connection through one of four options, a Microsoft Calling Plan, Operator Connect, Teams Phone Mobile, or Direct Routing, and the option you choose decides who allocates your numbers.[2] The main exception is a bundled license such as Teams Phone with Calling Plan, which pairs the license with a Microsoft Calling Plan that does provide a number and outbound minutes.[7]
\n","summary":"A Teams Phone license turns on the Phone System calling and PBX features, but the phone number itself comes from a separate PSTN connection. Numbers are supplied by whichever option you use to reach the public phone network: a Microsoft Calling Plan, Operator Connect, Teams Phone Mobile, or Direct Routing. Bundles such as Teams Phone with Calling Plan fold a number and minutes into one license, and you can either request new numbers or port the ones you already own.","publishedAt":"2026-07-18T03:39:27.013","verifiedAt":"2026-07-17T00:00:00","editorialStatus":"APPROVED","lastReviewedAt":"2026-07-17T00:00:00","nextReviewDueAt":"2026-10-17T00:00:00","templateVersion":"v2","aliases":["Does Teams Phone Standard come with a phone number?","Do I get a phone number with a Teams Phone license?","Is a phone number included in Microsoft Teams Phone?","Does Teams Phone include PSTN calling?","Do you need a calling plan to get a Teams phone number?","How do you get a phone number for Microsoft Teams?","Does Microsoft 365 E5 include a phone number for Teams?","Teams Phone license vs calling plan","Does Teams Phone come with a number or do you buy one?","Where do Teams Phone numbers come from?","Can I keep my existing number with Teams Phone?","Is a phone number part of Teams Phone Standard?"],"confidenceScore":96,"confidenceLabel":"High","canonicalUrl":null},"contributor":{"id":"ec39deab-44fe-48d8-9029-fefe993ab85a","slug":"answer-stack","displayName":"AnswerStack","websiteUrl":null},"contributorOrganizationProfile":{"entityId":"ec39deab-44fe-48d8-9029-fefe993ab85a","legalName":null,"description":null,"websiteUrl":null,"imageUrl":null,"slogan":null,"subtitle":null,"facts":[],"coiNote":null,"foundingDate":null,"numberOfEmployeesText":null,"contactPoint":null,"address":null,"headquartersText":null,"organizationType":null},"contributorPerson":{"slug":"answerstack-editorial-team","displayName":"AnswerStack Editorial Team"},"sections":[{"id":"2f2e90fd-a81c-4b08-aad2-e3d6bbc02b37","sectionKey":"license_vs_number","sectionType":"markdown_section","heading":"Why the license and the phone number are separate purchases","introMarkdown":"A Teams Phone license and a phone number are sold and provisioned separately, so buying the license alone leaves a user with calling features but no number to dial from or receive calls on.[1][3] Microsoft is direct about this in its number management guidance: telephone numbers are not included with Teams Phone licensing, and numbers for your tenant are acquired through the service provider that supplies your connection to the public switched telephone network (PSTN).[3]\n\n### What the license entitles you to\n\nThe Teams Phone license, sold on its own as Teams Phone Standard, turns on the Microsoft 365 Phone System features, the private branch exchange (PBX) capabilities such as cloud voicemail, call forwarding, call transfer, auto attendants, call queues, and caller ID.[8] It also grants the user access to whatever PSTN solution your organization has connected, which is the piece that carries calls to and from ordinary phone numbers.[4] What the license does not do is supply the number itself or any outbound minutes, so a user who holds only Teams Phone Standard can use the calling features internally but cannot yet place a call to a landline or mobile.[3][8]\n\n### What the PSTN solution supplies\n\nA PSTN solution provides two things the license cannot: the phone numbers allocated to your organization, and the actual route to domestic, international, and emergency calling.[1][2] Microsoft describes the service provider as your partner for both PSTN access and the allocation of telephone numbers for your enterprise, and it requires a secure PSTN integration with your tenant before any licensed Teams Phone account can make or receive calls.[2] So a working setup has two line items, the license per user and a PSTN option, and you plan and budget for both.","introHtml":"A Teams Phone license and a phone number are sold and provisioned separately, so buying the license alone leaves a user with calling features but no number to dial from or receive calls on.[1][3] Microsoft is direct about this in its number management guidance: telephone numbers are not included with Teams Phone licensing, and numbers for your tenant are acquired through the service provider that supplies your connection to the public switched telephone network (PSTN).[3]
\nThe Teams Phone license, sold on its own as Teams Phone Standard, turns on the Microsoft 365 Phone System features, the private branch exchange (PBX) capabilities such as cloud voicemail, call forwarding, call transfer, auto attendants, call queues, and caller ID.[8] It also grants the user access to whatever PSTN solution your organization has connected, which is the piece that carries calls to and from ordinary phone numbers.[4] What the license does not do is supply the number itself or any outbound minutes, so a user who holds only Teams Phone Standard can use the calling features internally but cannot yet place a call to a landline or mobile.[3][8]
\nA PSTN solution provides two things the license cannot: the phone numbers allocated to your organization, and the actual route to domestic, international, and emergency calling.[1][2] Microsoft describes the service provider as your partner for both PSTN access and the allocation of telephone numbers for your enterprise, and it requires a secure PSTN integration with your tenant before any licensed Teams Phone account can make or receive calls.[2] So a working setup has two line items, the license per user and a PSTN option, and you plan and budget for both.
\n","outroMarkdown":null,"outroHtml":null,"contentJson":{},"configJson":{},"noteMarkdown":null,"noteHtml":null,"sortOrder":0},{"id":"d19a9c72-2f1f-439b-a4ad-4c71803abedc","sectionKey":"where_numbers_come_from_table","sectionType":"table_section","heading":"Where does a Teams Phone number actually come from?","introMarkdown":"Every phone number in Teams Phone comes from one of four PSTN connectivity options, and the option you pick decides who allocates your numbers and who you contract with for them.[2] You can run more than one at a time, mixing them by region or by type of worker, and each option still requires a Teams Phone license on every user who needs their own number.[2][8] The table compares who supplies the number under each option, and each one gets its own explanation below.","introHtml":"Every phone number in Teams Phone comes from one of four PSTN connectivity options, and the option you pick decides who allocates your numbers and who you contract with for them.[2] You can run more than one at a time, mixing them by region or by type of worker, and each option still requires a Teams Phone license on every user who needs their own number.[2][8] The table compares who supplies the number under each option, and each one gets its own explanation below.
\n","outroMarkdown":"Whichever row you land on, the number is provisioned by the provider named in it, not by the Teams Phone license.[2][3]","outroHtml":"Whichever row you land on, the number is provisioned by the provider named in it, not by the Teams Phone license.[2][3]
\n","contentJson":{"rows":[{"cells":["Microsoft Calling Plan","Microsoft","Microsoft","You want one vendor for software and dial tone, in a country where Calling Plans are sold [2][5]"]},{"cells":["Operator Connect","A certified third-party operator","A certified landline operator","Your preferred carrier is in Microsoft's program and you want it managed for you [2]"]},{"cells":["Teams Phone Mobile","A certified mobile operator","A certified mobile operator","A SIM mobile number should double as the Teams number [2]"]},{"cells":["Direct Routing","Your chosen operator, through your SBC","Any operator you choose","You need to keep an existing carrier or connect legacy equipment [2]"]}],"columns":["PSTN option","Who supplies your numbers","Who is your carrier","Where it tends to fit"]},"configJson":{},"noteMarkdown":null,"noteHtml":null,"sortOrder":1},{"id":"adb6cf69-f2b1-4c66-bbc3-01b8c7aee50f","sectionKey":"calling_plan","sectionType":"markdown_section","heading":"Microsoft Calling Plan","introMarkdown":"A Microsoft Calling Plan makes Microsoft your carrier, so your numbers, your outbound minutes, and emergency screening in the United States all come from Microsoft.[2][5] You buy the Teams Phone add-on first, then add a Domestic, International, or Pay-As-You-Go Calling Plan, and you acquire numbers inside the Teams admin center with Microsoft listed as the operator.[5][6] A Calling Plan license is the prerequisite for pulling numbers from Microsoft, because without at least one assigned in your tenant you cannot acquire a Microsoft number at all.[6] This option fits organizations in a country where Calling Plans are sold and who would rather run one vendor than assemble their own carrier relationship, so the first thing to confirm is availability in your region.[2][5]","introHtml":"A Microsoft Calling Plan makes Microsoft your carrier, so your numbers, your outbound minutes, and emergency screening in the United States all come from Microsoft.[2][5] You buy the Teams Phone add-on first, then add a Domestic, International, or Pay-As-You-Go Calling Plan, and you acquire numbers inside the Teams admin center with Microsoft listed as the operator.[5][6] A Calling Plan license is the prerequisite for pulling numbers from Microsoft, because without at least one assigned in your tenant you cannot acquire a Microsoft number at all.[6] This option fits organizations in a country where Calling Plans are sold and who would rather run one vendor than assemble their own carrier relationship, so the first thing to confirm is availability in your region.[2][5]
\n","outroMarkdown":null,"outroHtml":null,"contentJson":{},"configJson":{},"noteMarkdown":null,"noteHtml":null,"sortOrder":2},{"id":"fdac2802-7e57-48b0-892f-d848e9246935","sectionKey":"operator_connect","sectionType":"markdown_section","heading":"Operator Connect","introMarkdown":"Operator Connect lets you use a third-party carrier that has already built a certified connection into Teams, so that operator supplies your numbers, PSTN access, and support while Microsoft keeps running the Teams platform.[2][12] You choose a participating operator from Microsoft's directory, enable them in the Teams admin center, and assign their numbers to your users, with the operator holding the underlying contract and service level agreement.[2] Because the carrier owns the connection, much of the setup and ongoing management shifts to them, which is usually the reason a team picks this route in a country where Microsoft's own Calling Plan is not sold or where they want to keep a preferred provider.[2] The number still lands on a user who holds a Teams Phone license, so the license and the number stay distinct even when one company manages both.[2][8]","introHtml":"Operator Connect lets you use a third-party carrier that has already built a certified connection into Teams, so that operator supplies your numbers, PSTN access, and support while Microsoft keeps running the Teams platform.[2][12] You choose a participating operator from Microsoft's directory, enable them in the Teams admin center, and assign their numbers to your users, with the operator holding the underlying contract and service level agreement.[2] Because the carrier owns the connection, much of the setup and ongoing management shifts to them, which is usually the reason a team picks this route in a country where Microsoft's own Calling Plan is not sold or where they want to keep a preferred provider.[2] The number still lands on a user who holds a Teams Phone license, so the license and the number stay distinct even when one company manages both.[2][8]
\n","outroMarkdown":null,"outroHtml":null,"contentJson":{},"configJson":{},"noteMarkdown":null,"noteHtml":null,"sortOrder":3},{"id":"c97f9165-3015-4915-89e3-574ed1083490","sectionKey":"teams_phone_mobile","sectionType":"markdown_section","heading":"Teams Phone Mobile","introMarkdown":"Teams Phone Mobile ties a user's SIM-enabled mobile number to their Teams identity, so a single number rings on the cellular network and inside Teams.[2] The number and PSTN access come from a certified mobile operator that has completed the integration with Microsoft, and the mobile SIM, which can be an eSIM, is the piece your administrators manage.[2] This fits mobile-first staff who would rather carry one number for the handset, the desk app, and the desktop than juggle a separate work line.[2] Availability depends on whether your mobile provider takes part in the Microsoft Teams Phone Mobile program, so confirm participation with the carrier before you plan around it.[2]","introHtml":"Teams Phone Mobile ties a user's SIM-enabled mobile number to their Teams identity, so a single number rings on the cellular network and inside Teams.[2] The number and PSTN access come from a certified mobile operator that has completed the integration with Microsoft, and the mobile SIM, which can be an eSIM, is the piece your administrators manage.[2] This fits mobile-first staff who would rather carry one number for the handset, the desk app, and the desktop than juggle a separate work line.[2] Availability depends on whether your mobile provider takes part in the Microsoft Teams Phone Mobile program, so confirm participation with the carrier before you plan around it.[2]
\n","outroMarkdown":null,"outroHtml":null,"contentJson":{},"configJson":{},"noteMarkdown":null,"noteHtml":null,"sortOrder":4},{"id":"0b3505aa-56cc-4648-a8ae-1789e5d4158c","sectionKey":"direct_routing","sectionType":"markdown_section","heading":"Direct Routing","introMarkdown":"Direct Routing connects a carrier of your choice to Teams Phone through a certified session border controller (SBC) that you, an integrator, or a Direct-Routing-as-a-Service provider runs, and that carrier supplies the numbers.[2] It works in any country and gives you the most control, which is why organizations use it to keep an existing carrier contract, meet a local regulatory requirement, or connect legacy equipment such as analog devices, paging systems, and third-party PBXs.[2] The cost of that flexibility is responsibility, since the SBC brings certificate management, DNS settings, call-routing policies in Teams, and last-mile circuit integration, so it asks more of your IT team or partner than the managed options do.[2] Every user still needs a Teams Phone license, and Direct Routing is the only model that can keep local PSTN calls working through a Survivable Branch Appliance if the link to the cloud is interrupted.[2][8]","introHtml":"Direct Routing connects a carrier of your choice to Teams Phone through a certified session border controller (SBC) that you, an integrator, or a Direct-Routing-as-a-Service provider runs, and that carrier supplies the numbers.[2] It works in any country and gives you the most control, which is why organizations use it to keep an existing carrier contract, meet a local regulatory requirement, or connect legacy equipment such as analog devices, paging systems, and third-party PBXs.[2] The cost of that flexibility is responsibility, since the SBC brings certificate management, DNS settings, call-routing policies in Teams, and last-mile circuit integration, so it asks more of your IT team or partner than the managed options do.[2] Every user still needs a Teams Phone license, and Direct Routing is the only model that can keep local PSTN calls working through a Survivable Branch Appliance if the link to the cloud is interrupted.[2][8]
\n","outroMarkdown":null,"outroHtml":null,"contentJson":{},"configJson":{},"noteMarkdown":null,"noteHtml":null,"sortOrder":5},{"id":"98d40ef8-5f60-4e3c-a6a4-1d6863494607","sectionKey":"new_or_existing_number","sectionType":"markdown_section","heading":"Do you get a new number or keep the one you have?","introMarkdown":"You can either request brand-new numbers or transfer the numbers you already use, and both paths run through your PSTN provider rather than the Teams Phone license.[3][6] With a Microsoft Calling Plan, you request new numbers through the Add phone numbers wizard in the Teams admin center, choosing a country, a number type, and a quantity, with Microsoft as the operator.[6]\n\n### Porting an existing number\n\nTo keep a number you already own, you submit a port order that moves it from your current carrier to Microsoft, which then becomes the service provider of record for that number.[9] The port runs on a Letter of Authorization signed by the account's authorized user, and Microsoft manages fulfillment with your losing carrier, so the number keeps working while it transfers.[9] Porting timelines and required documents vary by country, and ported numbers do not count against the standard allotment of new numbers your licenses would otherwise grant.[6][9]\n\n### Numbers for people and numbers for services\n\nNot every number is for a person. Microsoft separates user or subscriber numbers, assigned to individual users, from service numbers used by voice apps such as auto attendants and call queues, and the two types are acquired and counted differently.[3][6]","introHtml":"You can either request brand-new numbers or transfer the numbers you already use, and both paths run through your PSTN provider rather than the Teams Phone license.[3][6] With a Microsoft Calling Plan, you request new numbers through the Add phone numbers wizard in the Teams admin center, choosing a country, a number type, and a quantity, with Microsoft as the operator.[6]
\nTo keep a number you already own, you submit a port order that moves it from your current carrier to Microsoft, which then becomes the service provider of record for that number.[9] The port runs on a Letter of Authorization signed by the account's authorized user, and Microsoft manages fulfillment with your losing carrier, so the number keeps working while it transfers.[9] Porting timelines and required documents vary by country, and ported numbers do not count against the standard allotment of new numbers your licenses would otherwise grant.[6][9]
\nNot every number is for a person. Microsoft separates user or subscriber numbers, assigned to individual users, from service numbers used by voice apps such as auto attendants and call queues, and the two types are acquired and counted differently.[3][6]
\n","outroMarkdown":null,"outroHtml":null,"contentJson":{},"configJson":{},"noteMarkdown":null,"noteHtml":null,"sortOrder":6},{"id":"ffd962c3-969e-43c6-8460-e67b42bd54ec","sectionKey":"when_number_included","sectionType":"markdown_section","heading":"When is a phone number effectively included?","introMarkdown":"Two bundled licenses do fold a number and calling into a single purchase, which is the closest Teams Phone comes to including a number.[7] Teams Phone with Calling Plan, listed at about $17 per user each month paid yearly, pairs the license with a Microsoft Calling Plan that provides a phone number and roughly 3,000 outbound domestic minutes, and Teams Phone with Pay-As-You-Go Calling, listed around $13, provides a number with metered outbound minutes.[7] The standalone Teams Phone Standard license, at about $10 per user each month, carries no calling plan and no number, which independent pricing guides current to 2026 confirm.[7][10][11] Treat these as planning figures, because Microsoft changes pricing and availability by region and over time.[7]\n\n### Owning E5 does not change the rule\n\nA Microsoft 365 E5 or Office 365 E5 subscription already includes the Phone System license, so those customers do not buy Teams Phone Standard separately.[4][8] Even so, E5 still does not include a phone number, because an E5 tenant needs a PSTN option and its numbers just like any other.[3][4]\n\n### Shared Calling shares one number\n\nShared Calling lets several users make outbound calls through the number of a single resource account, so those users need only a Teams Phone license and no dedicated number or calling plan of their own.[4] It is a way to give occasional callers outbound access without allocating a number to every person, and the shared number itself still comes from a PSTN option.[4]","introHtml":"Two bundled licenses do fold a number and calling into a single purchase, which is the closest Teams Phone comes to including a number.[7] Teams Phone with Calling Plan, listed at about $17 per user each month paid yearly, pairs the license with a Microsoft Calling Plan that provides a phone number and roughly 3,000 outbound domestic minutes, and Teams Phone with Pay-As-You-Go Calling, listed around $13, provides a number with metered outbound minutes.[7] The standalone Teams Phone Standard license, at about $10 per user each month, carries no calling plan and no number, which independent pricing guides current to 2026 confirm.[7][10][11] Treat these as planning figures, because Microsoft changes pricing and availability by region and over time.[7]
\nA Microsoft 365 E5 or Office 365 E5 subscription already includes the Phone System license, so those customers do not buy Teams Phone Standard separately.[4][8] Even so, E5 still does not include a phone number, because an E5 tenant needs a PSTN option and its numbers just like any other.[3][4]
\nShared Calling lets several users make outbound calls through the number of a single resource account, so those users need only a Teams Phone license and no dedicated number or calling plan of their own.[4] It is a way to give occasional callers outbound access without allocating a number to every person, and the shared number itself still comes from a PSTN option.[4]
\n","outroMarkdown":null,"outroHtml":null,"contentJson":{},"configJson":{},"noteMarkdown":null,"noteHtml":null,"sortOrder":7},{"id":"db72d827-5558-4ee8-82d7-4d6a1b062dc7","sectionKey":"trade_offs","sectionType":"markdown_section","heading":"Trade-offs and limits worth planning around","introMarkdown":"Because the number lives outside the license, a few practical details shape how you buy and run Teams Phone.\n\n### The license is not the whole bill\n\nA Teams Phone Standard license on its own cannot reach the outside world, so the real per-user cost includes a PSTN option on top of it, whether that is a Microsoft Calling Plan, an Operator Connect subscription, or the SBC and carrier contract behind Direct Routing.[7][8] Budgeting only for the phone license understates what a working deployment costs.\n\n### Calling Plan availability is uneven\n\nMicrosoft's own Calling Plan is sold in a limited set of countries, so an organization with offices outside that list often combines connectivity types by region, for example Operator Connect where a Calling Plan is not available.[2][5]\n\n### Number quantities are capped by license count\n\nWith a Microsoft Calling Plan, the count of user numbers you can hold is tied to how many Calling Plan licenses you have assigned, and service numbers scale in bands with your Teams Phone and Audio Conferencing license totals, so you cannot stockpile far more numbers than you license.[6] Ported numbers sit outside those limits.[6]","introHtml":"Because the number lives outside the license, a few practical details shape how you buy and run Teams Phone.
\nA Teams Phone Standard license on its own cannot reach the outside world, so the real per-user cost includes a PSTN option on top of it, whether that is a Microsoft Calling Plan, an Operator Connect subscription, or the SBC and carrier contract behind Direct Routing.[7][8] Budgeting only for the phone license understates what a working deployment costs.
\nMicrosoft's own Calling Plan is sold in a limited set of countries, so an organization with offices outside that list often combines connectivity types by region, for example Operator Connect where a Calling Plan is not available.[2][5]
\nWith a Microsoft Calling Plan, the count of user numbers you can hold is tied to how many Calling Plan licenses you have assigned, and service numbers scale in bands with your Teams Phone and Audio Conferencing license totals, so you cannot stockpile far more numbers than you license.[6] Ported numbers sit outside those limits.[6]
\n","outroMarkdown":null,"outroHtml":null,"contentJson":{},"configJson":{},"noteMarkdown":null,"noteHtml":null,"sortOrder":8},{"id":"5a80e974-c558-40b3-8cf5-0da1c9d3cc63","sectionKey":"contributor_perspective","sectionType":"markdown_section","heading":"How this answer was researched","introMarkdown":"The definitions, licensing rules, connectivity options, and number-acquisition steps here come primarily from Microsoft's own Teams documentation on Microsoft Learn, which is the authoritative source for how Teams Phone is licensed and how numbers are provisioned.[1][2][3][4][5][6][8][9] Pricing was checked against Microsoft's published Teams Phone pricing and corroborated with two independent guides, one current to 2026, that describe the same split between the license and the PSTN service.[7][10][11] Microsoft updates Teams licensing, pricing, and feature names on a regular basis, so the dollar figures and license names here reflect what the cited pages stated on the verification date rather than a permanent quote. Practitioners who deploy or administer Teams Phone and PSTN connectivity at scale are welcome to suggest corrections or additions, which are checked against Microsoft's primary documentation before any update.","introHtml":"The definitions, licensing rules, connectivity options, and number-acquisition steps here come primarily from Microsoft's own Teams documentation on Microsoft Learn, which is the authoritative source for how Teams Phone is licensed and how numbers are provisioned.[1][2][3][4][5][6][8][9] Pricing was checked against Microsoft's published Teams Phone pricing and corroborated with two independent guides, one current to 2026, that describe the same split between the license and the PSTN service.[7][10][11] Microsoft updates Teams licensing, pricing, and feature names on a regular basis, so the dollar figures and license names here reflect what the cited pages stated on the verification date rather than a permanent quote. Practitioners who deploy or administer Teams Phone and PSTN connectivity at scale are welcome to suggest corrections or additions, which are checked against Microsoft's primary documentation before any update.
\n","outroMarkdown":null,"outroHtml":null,"contentJson":{},"configJson":{},"noteMarkdown":"This answer was written and reviewed by the AnswerStack Editorial Team, which has no commercial stake in the products, companies, or methods discussed. Every claim is cited inline and verified on the dates shown.","noteHtml":"This answer was written and reviewed by the AnswerStack Editorial Team, which has no commercial stake in the products, companies, or methods discussed. Every claim is cited inline and verified on the dates shown.
\n","sortOrder":9}],"citations":[{"title":"What is Teams Phone","url":"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/what-is-phone-system-in-office-365","excerpt":"A PSTN solution is separate from a Teams Phone license. A PSTN solution provides a customer's tenant with phone numbers and PSTN access to domestic, international, and emergency calling. The Teams Phone license entitles a Teams user to enhanced calling capabilities within the tenant and access to the PSTN solution.","quoteText":null,"sourceRole":"PRIMARY","verifiedAt":"2026-07-17T00:00:00","supportsText":"Teams Phone is call control and PBX in Microsoft 365; a PSTN solution is separate from a Teams Phone license and provides the tenant's phone numbers and PSTN access, while the license entitles the user to enhanced calling and access to the PSTN solution","domain":"learn.microsoft.com","publisherName":"Microsoft Learn"},{"title":"Microsoft - PSTN connectivity options","url":"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/pstn-connectivity","excerpt":"In order to use PSTN telephony services with Teams Phone, the user account must be licensed with the Teams Phone application and also be equipped with a PSTN solution from your PSTN service provider of choice. The PSTN service provider serves as your partner to provide your M365/Teams users with the basic requirements of: access to the PSTN... allocation of telephone numbers for your enterprise.","quoteText":null,"sourceRole":"PRIMARY","verifiedAt":"2026-07-17T00:00:00","supportsText":"The four PSTN options (Microsoft Calling Plan, Operator Connect, Teams Phone Mobile, Direct Routing), who supplies phone numbers under each, that the PSTN provider allocates telephone numbers, that the user must be licensed with Teams Phone plus a PSTN solution, and that a tenant can combine options","domain":"learn.microsoft.com","publisherName":"Microsoft"},{"title":"Acquire phone numbers for your organization - Microsoft Teams","url":"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/manage-phone-numbers-landing-page","excerpt":"Telephone numbers aren't included with Teams Phone licensing. Telephone numbers for your tenant are acquired through the service provider that provides your tenant with connectivity and access to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).","quoteText":null,"sourceRole":"PRIMARY","verifiedAt":"2026-07-17T00:00:00","supportsText":"Telephone numbers are not included with Teams Phone licensing; numbers are acquired through the PSTN service provider that supplies connectivity; number usage types (user/subscriber, voice app, conference)","domain":"learn.microsoft.com","publisherName":"Microsoft Learn"},{"title":"Teams Phone licensing - Microsoft Teams","url":"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/teams-phone-licensing","excerpt":"A PSTN solution is separate from a Teams Phone license... With Shared Calling, end users don't need a dedicated phone number or a calling plan. They only require a license for Teams Phone.","quoteText":null,"sourceRole":"PRIMARY","verifiedAt":"2026-07-17T00:00:00","supportsText":"Adding PSTN is a separate prerequisite from licensing; Microsoft 365 E5 includes the Phone System application so no separate Teams Phone Standard is needed; Teams Phone with Calling Plan bundle; Shared Calling lets users share one resource-account number without a dedicated number or calling plan","domain":"learn.microsoft.com","publisherName":"Microsoft Learn"},{"title":"Microsoft Teams Calling Plans","url":"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/calling-plans-for-office-365","excerpt":"This solution is the simplest option that connects Teams Phone to the PSTN for external calling. With this option, Microsoft acts as your PSTN carrier... You must first purchase a Teams Phone add-on license.","quoteText":null,"sourceRole":"PRIMARY","verifiedAt":"2026-07-17T00:00:00","supportsText":"With a Calling Plan Microsoft acts as your PSTN carrier; Domestic, International, and Pay-As-You-Go options; you must first purchase a Teams Phone add-on license, then buy a Calling Plan; Calling Plans are sold only where available","domain":"learn.microsoft.com","publisherName":"Microsoft Learn"},{"title":"Get Microsoft Calling Plan telephone numbers for your organization - Microsoft Teams","url":"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/getting-phone-numbers-for-your-users","excerpt":"Calling Plan license is a prerequisite for acquiring phone numbers. To acquire telephone numbers from Microsoft, you must have at least one Microsoft Calling Plan license assigned in your tenant.","quoteText":null,"sourceRole":"PRIMARY","verifiedAt":"2026-07-17T00:00:00","supportsText":"A Calling Plan license is a prerequisite for acquiring numbers from Microsoft; the Add phone numbers wizard in the Teams admin center with Microsoft as operator; user/subscriber vs service number quantities tied to license counts; ported numbers are excluded from the quantity limits","domain":"learn.microsoft.com","publisherName":"Microsoft Learn"},{"title":"Microsoft Teams Phone","url":"https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/microsoft-teams-phone","excerpt":"Teams Phone Standard $10.00 user/month, paid yearly. Add PSTN service with Teams Calling Plans, Operator Connect or Direct Routing. Teams Phone with Calling Plan $17.00 user/month: phone number with 3,000 outbound domestic calling minutes from Microsoft.","quoteText":null,"sourceRole":"PRIMARY","verifiedAt":"2026-07-17T00:00:00","supportsText":"Teams Phone Standard $10 per user per month with no calling plan included (add PSTN separately); Teams Phone with Calling Plan $17 includes a phone number and 3,000 outbound domestic minutes; Teams Phone with Pay-as-you-go Calling $13 includes a number with metered minutes","domain":"microsoft.com","publisherName":"Microsoft"},{"title":"Microsoft Teams add-on licenses - Microsoft Teams","url":"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/teams-add-on-licensing/microsoft-teams-add-on-licensing","excerpt":"Teams Phone requires a separate add-on license. For Teams Phone only, buy a Teams Phone Standard license. For users to make and receive external calls using the PSTN, you'll need to choose a PSTN connectivity option as well.","quoteText":null,"sourceRole":"PRIMARY","verifiedAt":"2026-07-17T00:00:00","supportsText":"Teams Phone Standard is a hosted PBX add-on (cloud voicemail, call forwarding, transfer, auto attendants, call queues, caller ID); Teams Phone requires a separate add-on license and a separately chosen PSTN connectivity option for external calls; every PSTN option (Operator Connect, Teams Phone Mobi","domain":"learn.microsoft.com","publisherName":"Microsoft Learn"},{"title":"Transfer phone numbers to Microsoft Teams - Microsoft Teams","url":"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/phone-number-calling-plans/transfer-phone-numbers-to-teams","excerpt":"This article is an accompaniment for IT professionals and Teams Phone administrators in the process of porting phone numbers to Microsoft Teams Calling Plans... you download the Letter of Authorization, get it signed, upload it, and submit to Microsoft.","quoteText":null,"sourceRole":"PRIMARY","verifiedAt":"2026-07-17T00:00:00","supportsText":"You can port existing numbers to Microsoft Teams Calling Plans via a port order and a Letter of Authorization signed by the account's authorized user; Microsoft manages fulfillment with the current carrier and becomes the service provider of record","domain":"learn.microsoft.com","publisherName":"Microsoft Learn"},{"title":"Microsoft Teams Phone System Pricing & Plans: Full Guide for 2026","url":"https://www.cloudtalk.io/blog/microsoft-teams-phone-system-pricing/","excerpt":"No calling plan included, must add separately... Phone numbers are not included by default and must be purchased or connected separately.","quoteText":null,"sourceRole":"INDEPENDENT","verifiedAt":"2026-07-17T00:00:00","supportsText":"Independent corroboration current to 2026 that Teams Phone Standard at $10 per user per month has no calling plan and that phone numbers are not included by default and must be purchased or connected separately, while Teams Phone with Calling Plan (about $17) bundles a number and minutes","domain":"cloudtalk.io","publisherName":"CloudTalk"},{"title":"Microsoft Teams License - Which one you Need for Microsoft Teams Phone","url":"https://www.pure-ip.com/blog/microsoft-teams-license-which-one-you-need-for-microsoft-teams-phone","excerpt":"Teams Phone Standard enables Teams to work as a phone. However, to activate this feature, users also need to have phone connectivity.","quoteText":null,"sourceRole":"INDEPENDENT","verifiedAt":"2026-07-17T00:00:00","supportsText":"Independent telecom explainer confirming Teams Phone Standard provides the calling capability but users also need separate phone connectivity (a Calling Plan, Operator Connect, or Direct Routing) to obtain numbers and make external calls","domain":"pure-ip.com","publisherName":"Pure IP"},{"title":"Microsoft Operator Connect Explained: What It Is, How It Works, and When to Use It","url":"https://www.atlantech.net/blog/microsoft-operator-connect-explained","excerpt":"The telecom operator assumes responsibility for phone numbers, call routing, PSTN connectivity, and the underlying voice network.","quoteText":null,"sourceRole":"SUPPORTING","verifiedAt":"2026-07-17T00:00:00","supportsText":"Business-facing explainer that under Operator Connect the certified telecom operator provides the phone numbers, call routing, and PSTN connectivity while Microsoft maintains the Teams Phone platform; corroborated by [2] and [8]","domain":"atlantech.net","publisherName":"Atlantech Online"}],"revisions":[],"relatedAnswers":[{"id":"9cfa6183-815b-4644-861d-2bfe543492cc","slug":"how-does-teams-phone-work","question":"How does Teams Phone work?","publishedAt":"2026-07-18T03:47:27.534","confidenceScore":93,"confidenceLabel":"High","industry":{"id":"ff619d7c-d7d7-485e-a05a-53fba07f33ed","slug":"telecommunications","label":"Telecommunications","description":"Business voice, fiber, UCaaS, and network services"},"topic":{"slug":"teams-phone","label":"Teams Phone","description":"Microsoft Teams Phone: licensing, PSTN connectivity, calling plans, and setup.","schemaKind":null},"contributor":{"id":"ec39deab-44fe-48d8-9029-fefe993ab85a","slug":"answer-stack","displayName":"AnswerStack","websiteUrl":null},"snippet":"Teams Phone turns Microsoft 365 into a cloud phone system: a call-control service in the cloud acts as the PBX, internal calls run over the internet, and a Teams Phone license plus a PSTN connection (Microsoft Calling Plan, Operator Connect, Teams Phone Mobile, or Direct Routing) let users dial real phone numbers. Admins assign numbers, voice enable users, and build auto attendants and call queues, while call audio flows over the most direct path it can find, encrypted with SRTP.","url":"/q/how-does-teams-phone-work"},{"id":"8317c7a7-d7a6-4a7c-8428-441b19177913","slug":"how-do-i-choose-a-pstn-connectivity-option-for-teams-phone","question":"How do I choose a PSTN connectivity option for Teams Phone?","publishedAt":"2026-07-18T03:43:05.249","confidenceScore":92,"confidenceLabel":"High","industry":{"id":"ff619d7c-d7d7-485e-a05a-53fba07f33ed","slug":"telecommunications","label":"Telecommunications","description":"Business voice, fiber, UCaaS, and network services"},"topic":{"slug":"teams-phone","label":"Teams Phone","description":"Microsoft Teams Phone: licensing, PSTN connectivity, calling plans, and setup.","schemaKind":null},"contributor":{"id":"ec39deab-44fe-48d8-9029-fefe993ab85a","slug":"answer-stack","displayName":"AnswerStack","websiteUrl":null},"snippet":"Teams Phone needs a PSTN connection on top of the phone license, and Microsoft offers four ways to provide it: a Microsoft Calling Plan, Operator Connect, Teams Phone Mobile, and Direct Routing. The right pick depends on whether Calling Plans are sold in your countries, whether you want to keep a current carrier, how much infrastructure you want to run, and any emergency-calling or continuity needs. A single tenant can combine options by region or by type of worker.","url":"/q/how-do-i-choose-a-pstn-connectivity-option-for-teams-phone"},{"id":"67fc8518-2dba-4c3b-8029-0a39c59afd28","slug":"what-is-the-difference-between-teams-phone-and-a-calling-plan","question":"What is the difference between Teams Phone and a Calling Plan?","publishedAt":"2026-07-18T03:41:44.225","confidenceScore":95,"confidenceLabel":"High","industry":{"id":"ff619d7c-d7d7-485e-a05a-53fba07f33ed","slug":"telecommunications","label":"Telecommunications","description":"Business voice, fiber, UCaaS, and network services"},"topic":{"slug":"teams-phone","label":"Teams Phone","description":"Microsoft Teams Phone: licensing, PSTN connectivity, calling plans, and setup.","schemaKind":null},"contributor":{"id":"ec39deab-44fe-48d8-9029-fefe993ab85a","slug":"answer-stack","displayName":"AnswerStack","websiteUrl":null},"snippet":"Teams Phone and a Microsoft Calling Plan are two different purchases that most organizations buy together. Teams Phone is the cloud phone system, the per-user license that adds PBX features like auto attendants, call queues, and PSTN dialing. A Calling Plan is one of four ways to connect that phone system to the public phone network; it makes Microsoft your carrier and supplies the numbers and minutes. Internal Teams calls need neither, and a Calling Plan cannot work without a Teams Phone license underneath it.","url":"/q/what-is-the-difference-between-teams-phone-and-a-calling-plan"},{"id":"dc0dd213-a7d5-4cd3-95e3-5457b9308922","slug":"what-teams-phone-license-do-i-need","question":"What Teams Phone license do I need?","publishedAt":"2026-07-18T03:41:33.762","confidenceScore":93,"confidenceLabel":"High","industry":{"id":"ff619d7c-d7d7-485e-a05a-53fba07f33ed","slug":"telecommunications","label":"Telecommunications","description":"Business voice, fiber, UCaaS, and network services"},"topic":{"slug":"teams-phone","label":"Teams Phone","description":"Microsoft Teams Phone: licensing, PSTN connectivity, calling plans, and setup.","schemaKind":null},"contributor":{"id":"ec39deab-44fe-48d8-9029-fefe993ab85a","slug":"answer-stack","displayName":"AnswerStack","websiteUrl":null},"snippet":"Teams Phone licensing comes in layers. Every user needs a base Microsoft 365 or Teams subscription, then a Teams Phone license, then a PSTN connection for external calls. E5 plans already include Teams Phone; lower tiers add Teams Phone Standard at about $10 per user per month. A Microsoft Calling Plan, Operator Connect, Teams Phone Mobile, or Direct Routing supplies the outside line, and only the Microsoft Calling Plan route needs its own extra license.","url":"/q/what-teams-phone-license-do-i-need"}],"contributorStats":{"verifiedAnswers":224,"openDisputes":0},"schemaJson":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Question","name":"Does a Teams Phone license include a phone number?","text":"Does a Teams Phone license include a phone number?","url":"https://www.answerstack.io/q/does-a-teams-phone-license-include-a-phone-number","answerCount":1,"datePublished":"2026-07-18T03:39:27.013","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"AnswerStack Editorial Team","worksFor":{"@type":"Organization","name":"AnswerStack"},"url":"https://www.answerstack.io/contributors/answer-stack"},"about":[{"@type":"Thing","name":"Teams Phone"},{"@type":"Thing","name":"Telecommunications"}],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"No. A Teams Phone license does not include a phone number on its own, because Microsoft treats the license and the number as two separate purchases.[1][3] The license entitles a user to the Microsoft 365 Phone System features and its private branch exchange (PBX) capabilities, plus access to whatever phone-network connection your organization has set up, while the numbers themselves come from a separate PSTN solution.[1][4] Microsoft states plainly that telephone numbers are not included with Teams Phone licensing and are acquired through the service provider that supplies your connection to the public switched telephone network (PSTN).[3] You add that connection through one of four options, a Microsoft Calling Plan, Operator Connect, Teams Phone Mobile, or Direct Routing, and the option you choose decides who allocates your numbers.[2] The main exception is a bundled license such as Teams Phone with Calling Plan, which pairs the license with a Microsoft Calling Plan that does provide a number and outbound minutes.[7]","url":"https://www.answerstack.io/q/does-a-teams-phone-license-include-a-phone-number","upvoteCount":0,"datePublished":"2026-07-18T03:39:27.013","dateModified":"2026-07-17T00:00:00","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"AnswerStack Editorial Team","worksFor":{"@type":"Organization","name":"AnswerStack"},"url":"https://www.answerstack.io/contributors/answer-stack"},"citation":[{"@type":"CreativeWork","name":"What is Teams Phone","url":"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/what-is-phone-system-in-office-365"},{"@type":"CreativeWork","name":"Microsoft - PSTN connectivity options","url":"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/pstn-connectivity"},{"@type":"CreativeWork","name":"Acquire phone numbers for your organization - Microsoft Teams","url":"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/manage-phone-numbers-landing-page"},{"@type":"CreativeWork","name":"Teams Phone licensing - Microsoft Teams","url":"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/teams-phone-licensing"},{"@type":"CreativeWork","name":"Microsoft Teams Calling Plans","url":"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/calling-plans-for-office-365"},{"@type":"CreativeWork","name":"Get Microsoft Calling Plan telephone numbers for your organization - Microsoft Teams","url":"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/getting-phone-numbers-for-your-users"},{"@type":"CreativeWork","name":"Microsoft Teams Phone","url":"https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/microsoft-teams-phone"},{"@type":"CreativeWork","name":"Microsoft Teams add-on licenses - Microsoft Teams","url":"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/teams-add-on-licensing/microsoft-teams-add-on-licensing"},{"@type":"CreativeWork","name":"Transfer phone numbers to Microsoft Teams - Microsoft Teams","url":"https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/phone-number-calling-plans/transfer-phone-numbers-to-teams"},{"@type":"CreativeWork","name":"Microsoft Teams Phone System Pricing & Plans: Full Guide for 2026","url":"https://www.cloudtalk.io/blog/microsoft-teams-phone-system-pricing/"},{"@type":"CreativeWork","name":"Microsoft Teams License - Which one you Need for Microsoft Teams Phone","url":"https://www.pure-ip.com/blog/microsoft-teams-license-which-one-you-need-for-microsoft-teams-phone"},{"@type":"CreativeWork","name":"Microsoft Operator Connect Explained: What It Is, How It Works, and When to Use It","url":"https://www.atlantech.net/blog/microsoft-operator-connect-explained"}]}}}